Water and Wastewater Services Update
The City of Coconut Creek (City) does not operate its own water or wastewater treatment plants. Instead, the City contracts with Broward County (County) to purchase water at a reduced sale-for-resale rate and to provide wastewater transmission and treatment services. While the County handles treatment, the City is responsible for installing, maintaining, and upgrading the water and wastewater infrastructure within its service area.
The City’s water infrastructure includes two storage tanks, treatment booster stations, 286 miles of pipes, 1,900 fire hydrants, 5,500 valves, service lines, and other components that distribute potable water treated by the County to homes and businesses. Our wastewater infrastructure includes 241 miles of gravity sewer pipes, 3,818 access structures, 59 lift stations, force mains, and additional components that transport wastewater to the County’s treatment plant.
A significant portion of our annual expenses goes toward purchasing water from Broward County, paying for wastewater transmission and treatment, and investing in our capital infrastructure. While the City manages its own capital costs, Broward County sets the water and wastewater rates based on usage and reserved capacity. These rates fund operating expenses, long-term capital investments, and debt service for maintaining the County’s treatment plants.
In recent years, rising inflation and sharp increases in construction costs have created financial challenges in maintaining our water and wastewater systems. In FY2025, Broward County experienced notable cost increases, including:
- 10% increase in sewer sludge disposal
- 13% increase in electricity costs
- 18% to 119% increase in chemical costs
Despite these rising costs, partnering with Broward County remains the most cost-effective option—building and operating our own treatment facilities would be significantly more expensive.
At the same time, the City must continue maintaining and upgrading its infrastructure to ensure reliable service while upholding high-quality standards. As our systems age, proactive investment is essential to avoid expensive or catastrophic failures. Ongoing construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation projects help us sustain efficient operations and minimize long-term costs.
To manage rising costs and ensure continued investment in local infrastructure, the City is proposing up to a 9% water and wastewater rate increase effective June 1, 2025, which is in line with the increase from Broward County. Their average 9% increase took effect this past October. The proposed adjustment will help the City maintain reliable service, meet future regulatory requirements, and avoid larger rate increases down the road.
Residents can discuss these changes during the City’s Budget Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, April 22nd 6:00PM, or at the City’s Commission meeting on Thursday, April 24th, 7:00PM. Both meetings will take place in the Commission Chambers: 4800 West Copans Road.
Helpful conservation tips can be found on www.coconutcreek.net/waterconservation and www.coconutcreek.net/water.
Facebook message from Coconut Creek Finance Director: https://www.facebook.com/CoconutCreekGov/videos/1014154590692254